Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

Yes, it is that time of year again when devoted Rays fans get to travel to the happiest place on earth for three days of baseball and cartoon characters. Not lost in the translation, is the fact that the Rays enjoy a great record at the Champion complex at Disney.

Last season, the Rays swept the Texas Ranger in Orlando,Florida, and that fact could translate into some happy endings for our players and fans.

Rays pitcher James Shields and slugger Carlos Pena will be parade Grand Marshalls’ in Monday’s daily Disney parade down Main Street U.S.A. This “home,and away from home”, series in the middle of a rough homestand could be the thing to renew some team spirit and get into a winning formula for the rest of the year.

I do not have much “Good” to report about this game, other than the first 4 guys in our lineup are the only Rays’ to get a hit today. Aki Iwamura, Carl Crawford, B J Upton, and Carlos Pena were the Rays offense today.

The Bad

I do not see Rays starter Edwin Jackson throwing his pitches any different in this game than in any of his previous starts this year. It is starting to concern the Rays management and coaching staff on the rollercoaster progress and regression of this pitcher.

“You saw a little bit of everything over his first four starts of where E.J. is in regard to his development,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You have a young, potentially spectacular pitcher on one hand and on the other hand he’s still growing to get to that point.”

“He was throwing the ball well, and it just gets away,” Maddon said. “The ability to really stem the tide when it’s going in the wrong direction, where you’re able to gather your thoughts, slow things down and get out of a jam, sometimes he’s been able to do that, and tonight was not one of those nights. I think that is a mark of youth, or a lack of experience.”

Jackson’s ERA has gone from a impressive .064 ERA two games ago, to his present 4.63, which tends to point to control issues or trying to force the ball into bad decisions to batters. Jackson is your typical Power pitcher, who is trying to refine his craft to be a percision and location pitcher with the added bonus of a great fastball. It is just that the fastball did him in today instead of helping him to win the game.

Jime Thome used Jackson and the Rays staff as his personal batting practice today to go 4-4, including his 512th Homerun to tie Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews for 19th on the All-time Homerun list. Also not lost in this loss is that the Rays have now been 8-11 at this point in the season for the 4th consecutive season.

Dioner Navarro Mike DeFelice

The Ugly

The worst job for a manager at the professional level is to informa veteran or a rookie get reassigned or released from your club. The Rays today sent pitcher Jeff Niemann back to the Durham Bulls to make room for incoming first baseman/DH Dan Johnson. This is not the only move that the Rays will make in the next few days. On Tuesday, the Rays will have catcher Dioner Navarro back in the fold after recovering from his freak accident in New York.

With Navarro coming back, the Rays will probably designate for assignment, the current back-up catcher, and Rays original member, Mike DeFelice. Mike has had a incredible Spring Training, and a very productive call up for the Rays.

In order for Mike to be able to report to Durham, he will have to clear waivers. With several teams looking for a talented and great motivator for their young staffs, DeFelice would be a perfect fit. So do not be surprised if a team takes a chance on Mike and selects him on Tuesday. DeFelice has only been instrumental in the development of several young pitchers in our fold, and has hit a very competitive .300 for the team.

Former Rays Player of the Night:

Florida Marlins third baseman Jorge Cantu is my player of the night.Cantu went 2-4 today, with both hits being doubles. Cantu also scored a run for the fish. He is curently batting .308 for the team.

Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays will be the first meeting of the year for the clubs. On the mound will be former Rays’ batboy, Jesse Litsch. The Rays will counter with ace, James Sheilds.

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